About ten years ago, we discovered some family history from Colonsay, an island off the coast of Scotland. We learned about our clan and others. From there my imagination took over. I’ve always been fascinated with the power of the sixth sense and human connection. The trilogy was because I needed the time to tell Layla’s story over a period of time and the spans large periods of time.

SOUL HERDER, the second in the trilogy was released May 1st. What can readers expect?

In VISION, readers are introduced to Layla, her family, her boyfriend and learn about her history. Her Clear abilities—the profound capacity to read thoughts and predict events through dreams—create danger and geo-political interest and bad things happen. She has a unique relationship with her mom and with a woman from Colonsay that blows the lid off life as she knows it. She discovers her connections and why she can no longer have a normal life. In SOUL HERDER, Layla is transformed. Without giving the story away, it’s a game-changer. Layla goes from isolated bookworm to a significant global citizen almost overnight. My hope is when readers finish SOUL HERDER they will recognize this is a story about transformation, connection, power, and fulfilling destiny. The geo-political component adds complex dimension but most important, Layla is not the same girl who left Portland the previous year. There is also tons of action in SOUL HERDER including an intense battle scene.

In your blogs, you talk a lot about the business of writing. Is being an author worth the time spent on the business side of the industry?

Ideally, I think most authors, if given a choice, would opt to write all day. The business side is unglamorous and requires a ton of daily attention, but it’s necessary to connect with readers, grow sales and promote your work. There is no way around it, unless you are not trying to make a name for yourself and earn a living. So, yes it’s worth the time and energy and effort, because selling books allows you to continue writing. It’s all connected.

Do you work another job when you are not writing?

I do, but I work from home from around 6 to 2 and make good money so I have an ideal situation for writing.

What is your favorite thing to do when you aren’t writing?

Getting out in the sun and doing anything with my husband. I also love movies, music and reading.

What is the most difficult part of the writing process for you?

Honestly, I agonize over every word, sentence and paragraph. I lay in bed re-phrasing something I’ve written and can’t relax until I’ve made the change or at least jotted it down so I remember. There are countless ways to say something. Then I consider how the character speaks. Is it true to their speech pattern and vocabulary. When you write a series, the voices become second nature because you know the characters well. In the VISION trilogy, Layla grows, matures and changes through the books, so her voice evolves. Stuart, on the other hand, is steadfast, although in SOUL HERDER we see more of his thick dialect influenced by years of living in proper times!

Here’s a blurb for Soul Herder (remember, this is the 2nd book in the trilogy):

Soul Herder, the highly anticipated second book in the best selling Vision trilogy picks up following Layla’s kidnapping and bloody, near fatal airfield attack. After settling back in to Cambridge life with her Guardian boyfriend Stuart and best friend Sienna, Layla’s hyper-focused mom Liz forces her to leave for Morocco to hone her Clear skills with the ancient mystic Najee. But part of the plan disintegrates when Stuart receives a mysterious, last minute phone call, leaving Layla at the airport. Stuart blocks her from the hidden truth of his past while urgently dashing to Greece. When Layla learns his secrets, she is devastated and questions not only their relationship but their ability to move on together. Meanwhile she continues to Morocco and meets Najee, a quirky, wise man who seems to know more than he’s willing to say, prompting Layla to grow frustrated. When an acquaintance from the Branson Manor also visits, Layla has a new ally. As Najee begins his lessons to help Layla get in touch with her inner power, troubling news arrives and a life-threatening message in the form of a charm causing them to flee to safety. Najee leads everyone through the desert to a safe haven, an underground bunker designed by StoneWall where troops prepare for Bane battle. In a short time Layla is transformed to a warrior, and must use her Clear skills to outwit enemy attacks before they can escape. But her true test of courage is yet to come when the most devastating visions become reality. Will Layla surrender again to her wandering soul or emerge from grief to fight and fulfill her destiny? “The Vision trilogy transforms fiction to an art form resembling jazz music.

I want to welcome, author Bonnie Trachtenberg to my blog in celebration of her new release, Neurotically Yours. Join me as we get a little personal and dig a little deeper in this charming author’s mind!

Romance, Comedy, and Me

It was a natural fit; a foregone conclusion. After two decades of writing everything from health and fitness articles to advertising copy, children’s books and videos to book reviews, I was finally going to write a novel. Before I began, I knew there would be romance involved. Halfway through the prologue, I realized it would be funny. And somewhere along the way it became crystal clear to me that I had found my niche in a surprisingly effortless way. I would be an author of romantic comedies.

My first, Wedlocked, could easily have been written as a tragedy, as the true events that inspired it were hardly humorous at the time. At least not to me. It’s a story based on my first brief, disastrous marriage and subsequent honeymoon in hell. But as I wrote, the comedic nature of the story emerged. When I finished the book, I felt a catharsis like no other. Not only had I written my first full-length novel, but I’d purged my anger and sadness, and even managed to laugh a lot, too. When readers were also amused, I knew I’d made the right decision about how to tell my story. In fact, I had so much fun writing romance and comedy, I didn’t hesitate for a second when deciding what kind of book to write next.

My second novel, Neurotically Yours, was released just a few weeks ago. This one, less based in fact (although clearly informed by my experiences as a longtime single woman languishing in dating hell) could be nothing other than a romantic comedy. Most people cringe when recalling their bad dates and terrible relationships, but I took a different tack. I turned those experiences into something productive, something that others could relate to and giggle about in solidarity. Anyone who feels they have spent a bit too long on the dating scene, or who doesn’t have fond memories of it, should empathize with my heroine’s struggles.

I know that romance in itself will always be a huge part of my books, as it has enthralled me in every form since my chil

dhood. I couldn’t ever NOT write a book that had a romantic story at its core—nor would I want to. Love and laughter is a heady combination, so what better way for a writer to spend her days?

Bonnie Trachtenberg is the author of the recently released romantic comedy, Neurotically Yours: A Novel and the award-winning, bestselling book Wedlocked: A Novel. She writes a monthly relationship and advice column for LoveaHappyEnding.com. Bonnie was senior writer and copy chief at Book-of-the-Month Club and has written seven children’s book adaptations. She has also written for three newspapers and penned countless magazine articles. She lives in New York with her husband, four cats and a dog.

]]>https://tmsouders.wordpress.com/2012/05/18/romance-comedy-bonnie-trachtenberg/feed/1tmsoudersBonnie-59Neurotically Yours Cover JPEGFree Holiday Cheer!https://tmsouders.wordpress.com/2012/04/21/free-holiday-cheer/
https://tmsouders.wordpress.com/2012/04/21/free-holiday-cheer/#respondSat, 21 Apr 2012 12:26:58 +0000http://tmsouders.com/?p=676Continue reading →]]>I just wanted to write a quick post to announce an exciting new project that is underway! I will soon be releasing a new book, Murphy’s Bakery Recipes – A collection inspired by the fictional bakery in the novelette Dashing Through The Snow. This cookbook will feature delicious recipes for an assortment of baked goods from cakes, pies, pastries, muffins, to breads and more! And don’t forget Zane’s Pumpkin Pie.

To kick off the cookbook’s arrival in a couple months, I am running a promotion on the book’s inspiration Dashing Through The Snow. For a limited time, the novelette will be FREE! So get your copy now, even if you just want to stock up for the next holiday season. To check it out and download your copy, click HERE.

PS– One of the recipes will be for my Granny’s Gobs with peanut butter icing (also known as whoopie pies). You don’t want to miss it!

]]>https://tmsouders.wordpress.com/2012/04/21/free-holiday-cheer/feed/0tmsoudersdashWould You Fight For Every Word?https://tmsouders.wordpress.com/2012/04/16/would-you-fight-for-every-word/
https://tmsouders.wordpress.com/2012/04/16/would-you-fight-for-every-word/#commentsMon, 16 Apr 2012 12:27:38 +0000http://tmsouders.com/?p=672Continue reading →]]>So I’m rounding the third and final rewrite for my YA crossover novel, Freedom Road–the book I thought would have been out many months ago. That’s right, third! I don’t mean that I’ve edited it and rewrote one or two chapters a few times. No, I have completely rewritten the entire novel three times. This final time, I even went as far as completely changing some of the characters and major plot points.

Why? Because it just wasn’t good enough. I knew something was wrong with the second rewrite when the last words were written, and instead of being excited, my stomach was a clenched fist. I didn’t feel good about it. Having soaked so much time and energy into the book, you can imagine this was not a welcome feeling. Deep down I knew what the problem with the story was, but jus t wasn’t ready to admit it. Because admitting the problem meant–of course–more major rewrites.

Fast forward to present day, and I absolutely love the novel. Love it! The voice, the story line, the characters are all how I wanted them to be from the beginning. My point is that I didn’t settle. I didn’t take that second draft and say, “Well, it’s not perfect, but good enough.”

Along the journey of my third rewrite, I remained positive. As a person who is harder on herself than the rest of the world, this was a surprise even to me. One day, I hit a road block in my writing and started doing what a lot of us writers do and let myself get distracted by the internet. I browed blogs and came across a post by, none other than, Joe Konrath. I forget the premise in the post, but as I scanned it, I read something that completely struck a chord. He said (I don’t have the exact quotes) that you should be willing to fight for every word you write. If you don’t love it, if you wouldn’t fight for it, then it shouldn’t be there. If you take that concept literally, it is a very strong sentiment. Of course, I went back to my manuscript and read the beginning, quickly deciding I would absolutely fight for every word. I loved it. It was with that in mind that I went on to finish the rest of the manuscript. It is with that sentiment in mind that I will write my other novels. So here’s the question. Would you fight for every word?

]]>https://tmsouders.wordpress.com/2012/04/16/would-you-fight-for-every-word/feed/6tmsoudersWhere has the time gone?https://tmsouders.wordpress.com/2012/03/17/where-has-the-time-gone/
https://tmsouders.wordpress.com/2012/03/17/where-has-the-time-gone/#commentsSat, 17 Mar 2012 12:38:26 +0000http://tmsouders.com/?p=665Continue reading →]]>Yesterday my son turned four. FOUR! I know. Those of you with children in their teens or even 20+ are thinking, “Four? That’s just the beginning.” I can’t help though but feel a little down. Of course, I’m happy and grateful that he is healthy and thriving. But as I sit here and watch him fixated to the television screen, where his favorite show plays, I can’t help but feel the pang of time lost. I ask myself the cliché and familiar question: “Where has the time gone?” It won’t be long before I ask it again, as my youngest will turn two in a few months.

I am blessed to be a stay-at-home mom. So unlike many parents, I have the luxury of all day spent with my children. Yet at the end of the day, when I tuck them into bed, I still feel as though there weren’t enough hours in the day. I regret the two hours I spent writing or promoting my work. I regret running to the grocery store and lingering in the aisles, while my husband watches them. Losing my temper earlier in the day. Or not playing “Gorilla” one last time.

No matter how many hours a parent spends with their children, it is never enough. I’m sure this feeling is exemplified with working parents. I know for my husband it is. But what can we do to stop time? To stretch seconds into minutes and minutes into hours?

The only answer I have is to try to cherish every moment. Pause in your busy day to watch them play, eat, and sleep. Take in the gentle curves of their face, their stubby teeth, and chubby faces. Children see the joy in little things, so unlike most adults. Their faces light up over the littlest of things. A popsicle. Their favorite TV show. A caterpillar inching its way along the sidewalk. There are no boundaries, no end to their youthful excitement.

I try to live my life with a sort of unspoken motto–to take nothing for granted and enjoy the little things. Most days I succeed. I relish each cup of coffee, a sunny day, and tender moments with my children. Some days I fail. But as long as I live, I will keep trying to slow that clock. I will enjoy the little things, and I will cherish every moment.

I bit down on my lip as the door handle slowly turned. The door opened and a big-bosomed woman in a simple gray dress squealed with delight. “Connor, my boy. Come here and give me a hug. Why do you wait so long between visits?”

Con wrapped his arms around the woman’s waist, giving her what she requested. Turning to me, he said, “Meg, this is Ivory…” the affection in his eyes was apparent as he continued, “She’s been like a second mother to me and the only person—other than my grandmother—who could put up with Joker for any length of time.”

Ivory shook her head and motioned us in. “Oh, you will. The man’s over seventy-years-old, you may just be dishing up his last surprise.”

I found her remark disturbing and turned to Con for reassurance. He smiled and shook his head at Ivory.

“Mom used to say there wasn’t enough arsenic in the world to kill him off so I wouldn’t worry about this fazing him.”

Ivory let out another full belly laugh causing her large chest to vibrate, and then led us from the foyer, down a long hall.

The house was enormous with pressed tin ceilings that had to be at least twelve feet high, an open staircase that was a solid six feet wide and plank flooring covered with enough lacquer to reflect the light that streamed through the floor to ceiling windows. Carved in intricate detail, the woodwork was commonplace in a house built over a century ago. Antique furniture filled every corner of every room and framed artwork hung on the walls.

The hallway ended at a set of French doors, the glass panes covered by white lace curtains. Ivory stopped in front of the doors, turned toward us, and said, “Good luck,” as she knocked twice.

I heard, “What is it?” barked out from behind the door.

Ivory appeared unaffected by his rudeness. “Your grandson is here to visit. Shall

I send him in?”

“Grandson? It’s been so damn long since I’ve seen the boy; I almost forgot I had one. Yeah, get him on in here.”

Ivory opened the door, offering a sympathetic smile.

Con patted her arm and whispered, “Don’t worry Ivory. I’ll get her out before he hurts her.”

I felt my breath catch in my throat. What had I gotten myself in to? I looked up in time to catch Con wink at Ivory and let out the breath I’d been holding.

]]>https://tmsouders.wordpress.com/2012/03/01/teaser-train-kathy-reinharts-lily-white-lies/feed/3tmsoudersliesTeaserTrain ImageFinding Ideas For Your Next Novelhttps://tmsouders.wordpress.com/2012/02/26/finding-ideas-for-your-next-novel/
https://tmsouders.wordpress.com/2012/02/26/finding-ideas-for-your-next-novel/#commentsSun, 26 Feb 2012 18:46:48 +0000http://tmsouders.com/?p=647Continue reading →]]>Often times, I hear the question, “How do you come up with ideas for your books?” Just as often, I hear from newbie writers that they struggle with developing ideas for a novel. What should be one of the easiest aspects to writing a book, becomes a struggle. But coming up with an idea, though vital, should be one of the easiest steps in the process of writing–taking that idea and creating an entertaining read is the hard part.

Ideas and/or inspiration for books are all around us. Watch the news. Read the newspaper, or a couple of magazines. Look around–at your family, your friends. Maybe there’s already a subject you are passionate about. Chances are, there’s a great idea for a book blooming right in front of you. The key is to recognizing those ideas when you see them.ie writers that they struggle with developing ideas for a novel. What should be one of the easiest aspects to writing a book, becomes a struggle. But coming up with an idea, though vital, should be one of the easiest steps in the process of writing–taking that idea and creating an entertaining read is the hard part.

The basis for my books are often started with a spark of an idea. For my novel, Waiting On Hope, an im

To further my plot, I used a method to developing an idea, which many other authors use (including NYT bestseller Jodi Picoult.) The “what if” method. “What if her rapist was her best friend’s husband?” “What if she found out she was pregnant?” “What if her best friend had been trying to conceive, unsuccessfully, for years?” I asked myself “what if” with each scenario, until I had begun to develop the plot line and several points of conflict. This is a very effective way of building on ideas, and was, in fact, how my novel Waiting On Hope was born.age of a woman, so distraught, so desperate and depressed, she wanted to end her life came to mind. I, then, asked myself “what would make her want to end everything?” Rape came to mind, and so my idea started.

The idea for a new novel, one I have yet to write, but am completely excited about, came from something I saw on the Today Show. Before I sit down to write it, I will certainly use the “what if” method for developing the idea further.

The point is, ideas are all around us. Grab one, even if it seems too insignificant, and play with it. Ask yourself, “what if?” Before you know it, you may have your next novel. Maybe even a bestseller.

]]>https://tmsouders.wordpress.com/2012/02/26/finding-ideas-for-your-next-novel/feed/4tmsoudersapple and booksInterview w/ author Katheryn Lanehttps://tmsouders.wordpress.com/2012/02/13/interview-w-author-katheryn-lane/
https://tmsouders.wordpress.com/2012/02/13/interview-w-author-katheryn-lane/#respondMon, 13 Feb 2012 11:37:08 +0000http://tmsouders.com/?p=640Continue reading →]]>I’d like to welcome Contemporary Romance author Katheryn Lane to my blog! She is the author of The Royal Sheikh and was kind enough to give us some insight into her world!

You have a novel titled, The Royal Sheikh. For those who may not know, what is a Sheikh?

‘Sheikh’ (also spelt ‘Sheik’) is a title in the Middle East denoting a senior male. Seniority is largely based on a man’s leadership role in the ‘tribe’ or community. The ruler and his sons are therefore Sheikhs by virtue of their royal status, like the Sheikh in my novel, though being a Sheikh does not mean that you are necessarily royal, as seniority can come from other factors, such as age and wisdom. A female, by the way is a ‘Sheikha’. I teach several young Sheikhas at the school where I work. They aren’t royalty, but their families are regarded as being ‘important’ (i.e. rich).

I don’t really think there is an equivalent form of address in the West, as the title ‘Lord’ conjures up a completely different image, while the title ‘Sheikh’ conjures up the idea of a tall, dark, handsome man in long, white robes, ready to sweep you off your feet and onto a camel. To be honest, the reality isn’t too different. A lot of Arabic men are tall, dark and handsome, and they still ride camels.

However, with the immense wealth that has come from oil, they also ride around in expensive cars and Bedouin tents now have air-conditioning (as well as plasma screen TVs and Play Stations!). In addition, we are now seeing the second, third and even fourth generation of fabulously rich Arab families, so nowadays an increasing number of people in the Middle East have traveled extensively and have degrees from renowned universities such as Harvard and Oxford.

You’ve spent significant time in the Middle East. For those of us who have never been there, what is it like? What do you like most about it?

Despite the recent press that the Middle East has received, much of the Arabian Peninsula, where I live, is incredibly safe and peaceful. It can therefore be a great place for families – my children love it here as they can go out on their own at anytime without the risk of being attacked or threatened. I also like the weather, as it’s fairly predictable (unlike England where I grew up) – it’s always hot! However, in the summer it can get too hot, up to 52C (125F), which means you just spend your entire time indoors in the air-conditioning.

Why do you write in the genre romance?

I love romance, especially the great feeling that comes with a satisfying happy-ever-after ending. As a child I loved reading fairytales and when I’d read all the English ones I could find, I read ones from other countries, such as Japan and India (in translation!). I think romances are a bit like fairytales for grown-ups.

What are you reading right now?

I tend to have several books on the go at once. Without listing them all, the two main books I’m reading at the moment are not actually romance. One is a mystery, ‘The Holy Thief’ by Ellis Peters and the second is non-fiction, ‘England in the 18th Century’ by Roy Porter. I try to read a wide variety of books and I love Peters’ description of medieval English life, while the second book is a social and economic history, which I’m reading as research for a romance that I’m planning to write (one day!) set in Georgian England.

Coffee or Tea?

I love good coffee, but it doesn’t love me, as it gives me stomach ache, so instead I drink a lot of tea.

Is your glass 1/2 full or 1/2 empty?

Always, always 1/2 full. I try night to say bedtime prayers with my children and in them we thank God for everything good that has happened that day. No matter how bad our day has been, we can always think of something, even if it’s just the fact that we have enough food to eat, as so many millions of people don’t. I spent some time in India and it made me realise that no matter how little I might have in life, there are huge numbers of people with much, much less.

Let’s play the old, genie in a bottle game. You get 3 wishes. They can’t be general wishes, like “world peace” or all disease cured. No wishing health for your family, etc. These 3 wishes are for personal, material things. What 3 things would you wish for?

Can I be brutally honest with this one? I think, like many authors, I’d wish for a bestseller! Can we move on now before I get too embarrassed about the fact that I just said that?

Any upcoming projects?

I have several on the go at the moment, which is probably why none of them are finished! My main work in progress is a romance about a woman who finds herself alone in a remote village in South American and is given refuge by a local landowner. There is also the Georgian romance which I mentioned above, but that is still at the planning stage. Plus, I am thinking about doing a book on indie publishing which would be the book that I wish I’d had when I first published, telling me what to do and what not to, as it’s been a steep learning curve

What about writing/publishing has been unexpected?

The great support, friendship and help that other authors, indie and non-indie, have given me. Thank you to all of you, especially you, Tia, for kindly hosting me here and also on your great website, Cheap Kindle Daily.

You can purchase Katheryn Lane’s contemporary romance, The Royal Sheikh here:

Katheryn Lane works full-time as a teacher, mother and wife, but somehow also finds time to manage being a part-time writer as well! ‘The Royal Sheikh’ is her first book and is inspired by her experience of living in the Middle East. In her free time (on the rare occasion that she has any!) she loves to lose herself in a good book.

]]>https://tmsouders.wordpress.com/2012/02/13/interview-w-author-katheryn-lane/feed/0tmsoudersthe royalPublishing On CreateSpacehttps://tmsouders.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/publishing-on-createspace/
https://tmsouders.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/publishing-on-createspace/#commentsThu, 26 Jan 2012 13:04:12 +0000http://tmsouders.com/?p=629Continue reading →]]>I’ve heard for some that publishing on CreateSpace (formatting their books) has been a difficult venture. I found the process to be fairly simple and thought I’d share how to format your manuscript for a beautiful and easy publish. Although, I’m not an expert, the instructions below should produce great results and should be rather easy to follow.

I wanted to use MS Word 2010, but my Word decided to go haywire so I had to use the 2007 version. There are few differences though so the instructions should be the same with minor adjustments.

I am doing the instructions by bullet points to simplify them and give you less to read through! Don’t be discouraged, just follow one step at a time!

Open your MS Word Doc. with your manuscript.

Change the line spacing in your document. I used single spacing, but if you’d prefer, you can use 1.5. Note: the greater the spacing, the more pages and the more the actual book will cost to print.

Select the trim size of your book: Go to Page Layout-> click on size – you can then change the trim size. For mine, I went to manual to change it and type in 5.25×8 . *Note: what you see is exactly how it will look in the book, so if it looks funky, such as the lines being too crowded etc, you’ll want to adjust it.

1st page center your title – you may want to use a larger font.

2nd page leave blank (this is the flip side of the title page above)

3rd page has title centered w/ the author’s name below it (may want to use slightly larger font).

4th page is the copyright page – put what you wish, publisher, copyright date, ISBN number (If CreateSpace has not given you one yet, they will and you add it to this page then) **NOTE: It helps to look a regular paperback to see what their copyright page looks like.

The 5th page is the dedication page.

6th page leave blank

7th page -the actual start of the book

For each chapter, I started the first letter of the chapter with an enlarged, dropped capital letter–this is a pain, but looks great. Under the “insert” tab, there should be something that says “drop cap” – click on that. I did mine so it dropped only 2 lines. Do this for each 1st letter of the 1st word in each chap.

Add page numbers– You want the numbers to start on the first page of your book so you need to add a section break before the first chapter- this found under page layout tab-> page setup. Then on the first page of text, go to “insert” then page number, which is under header & footer- there are diff. types of numbers. For ease, I did mine centered w/ a ~ on ech side like this: ~1~

Margins: the inside margin, the one closest to the binding, is called the “gutter.” It will always be slightly wider to allow for space needed for spine and binding of the book. Click on Page Layout –> Margins. Then go all the way down and click on Custom Margins. A box titled Page Setup should come up. Then click on Margins and set up as follows:
.
Top: 0.8” Bottom: 0.6”
Inside: 0.7” Outside: 0.6”
Gutter: 0.1” Gutter position: Left
set for “Mirror Margins.”

Go back to the Page Setup box, there’s another tab titled Paper where you need to insert the width and height of your trim size. (5.25×8). **Note: certain versions of word may not have this, if yours doesn’t, don’t worry about it.

Go back again to the Page Setup box, there’s yet another tab titled Layout. Under Headers and Footers on that page I had the Header set at 0.5” and the Footer set at 0.1″ **Not:e: in your version of word headers and footers may be under the “insert tab” instead

You’re done!!! All you have to do is save the doc so you have it in Word, and then save again as a PDF file & upload!!

As for covers, I’m less help. I took my cover (it needs to be the correct size, which my cover artist did for me) and I added it to one of their templates. I used the one where you upload your photo for the entire front cover and then the pack as a solid cover with a blurb and author photo. It worked out great and looked super professional. Good luck!! Hope this helps!!

]]>https://tmsouders.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/publishing-on-createspace/feed/7tmsoudersWhat do you look for in a book?https://tmsouders.wordpress.com/2012/01/19/what-do-you-look-for-in-a-book/
https://tmsouders.wordpress.com/2012/01/19/what-do-you-look-for-in-a-book/#commentsThu, 19 Jan 2012 18:43:52 +0000http://tmsouders.wordpress.com/?p=620Continue reading →]]>Most people have particular tastes in books as far as genre is concerned. I do as well, although I am a fairly eclectic reader. Books on my shelves range in genre from thriller, mystery, to literary fiction, to cheesy romance. And even though the majority of my interest remains in women’s fiction and romance, I like a variety in my reading life. But what makes the BEST novel for me? That’s easy. Connecting with the characters.

There are different elements to every book. Plot and characters are two of the main elements. Character driven novels are those books where the basis of the story revolves around the characters and their development throughout the story. They usually make some sort of transformation. Plot driven novels are those in which the plot and/or a series of events drive the novel and characters, over any other factor. There are also novels–more literary–which are slower moving, but are written with beautiful prose and often have meaning beneath the surface of the story, in which the author is trying to send a message.

It’s no surprise that my favorite of the above are character driven novels. Women’s Fiction and romance are mostly based on character development and interaction. Just as most thrillers, suspense, horror, and mysteries are plot driven. For me, what makes a good book is the ability to fall in love with the characters and go on an emotional journey with them. This emotional attachment to the characters, for me, is what makes me most invested in a story and is what leaves me thinking about them long after the novel has ended.

So, here’s my question for you: What type of novel do you like best? What keeps you reading and sucks you in? What do you like to see in a story?

It would be my guess that men prefer plot over characters, but I would love to find out. Let me know what YOU think…are characters, plot, or writing style (prose), more important to you?